


Brave

by sparkinside



Category: AFI
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-19
Updated: 2014-12-19
Packaged: 2018-03-02 05:57:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2802062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparkinside/pseuds/sparkinside
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Truth has a funny way of coming out. Especially at four in the morning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brave

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Into_Evernight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Into_Evernight/gifts).



> Many, many thanks go to Kathy for being my sounding board for this piece. You've ideas and insight helped to shape this piece into what it has become. 
> 
> None of this is real. I make nothing of it except for a sense of pride and amusement.

  
_Say what you want to say and let the words come out/Honestly, I want to see you be brave_   


The battered car pulled into the dimly lit parking lot. It was nearing three in the morning and Adam Carson could barely keep his eyes open. They had been on the road for nearly ten hours at this point, and he honestly didn’t think he had it in him to go any further. The diner had been a godsend, the only beckon of any sort of civilization for miles. 

Beside him, the soft snores of his companion filled the now silent car. “Hey, Dave,” Adam started, gently shaking the man beside him. Stirring, Davey stretched his arms over his head, blinking his eyes open. 

“We there yet?” he yawned, looking around the empty parking lot. His eyes narrowed in confusion. “Where are we?”

Adam chuckled, “A diner. I’m about two seconds away from collapsing and I figured getting something to eat wouldn’t be a bad idea.” 

Nodding, they made their way towards the brightly lit diner. A large neon sign affixed above the glass doors read “Peggy Sue’s”. Adam let his eyes wander over the building before him, wondering just what they’d stumbled across. Pushing the door open, the two men made their way inside. 

Bright lights shone against the glossy black and white tiled floor. Red faux leather booths lined the white walls near the wall of windows that faced the parking lot and several small white tables with red lacquered chairs were scattered throughout the remaining floor space. A chrome topped bar with several red cushioned bar stools sat before the opened kitchen. 

It was something out of a movie, Pleasantville was the first thing to pop into his mind, what with the old fashioned jukebox in the far corner blasting an Elvis tune that Adam recognized but couldn’t name. “Well damn,” he muttered to himself before motioning Davey towards one of the booths nearest the door. 

“You’re telling me,” Davey laughed, picking up one of the menus sitting on the table. The place was certainly an interesting find, nothing like what he would have chosen had he been home. But that was part of its charm and seemed the perfect fit for this unexpected road trip he found himself on. 

Neither man spoke for several minutes, each glancing over the sadly limited menu. “Coffee and toast it is then,” Adam grumbled, before placing the menu back onto the table. Davey nodded in silent agreement. 

It was difficult enough finding decent food that fit their respective dietary needs from the ever so quaint school dining hall; apparently to the hallowed halls of Elisabethtown University vegetarian and vegan alike meant lettuce and whatever other vegetables happened to be somewhat fresh at the time being. Finding decent food on the road would apparently be even more of an adventure in blandness. 

A waitress, her name tag proudly proclaimed her name to be Janice, took their orders with a warm but strained smile and promised to be back with their coffee in a jiffy. Adam nodded at this and once she had gone leaned back against the worn seatback and closed his eyes. Gods, he was tired. Hopefully coffee, and lots of it, would help. He didn’t dare think otherwise.

How he was still conscious, he wasn’t sure. The drive itself had been draining, especially going into it on only a handful of hours sleep the night before. Finals week had been brutal, far too many all-nighters and far too much stress, adding that on top of the full time hours he’d picked up at one of the local grocers in town he wasn’t sure how he had survived to this point. Why he had thought driving back home directly after was a good idea, he’d never know. 

“- make it?” Davey’s voice cut through the fog that had started to settle in Adam’s mind. 

“What?" It took him several moments to catch on to what his companion had asked. 

Davey chuckled, “You really are out of it, huh?” He paused, laughing as Adam blinked several times, trying to focus. “I asked if you were going to make it. Now I’m not so sure.” A raised finger was Adam’s response which pulled another wave of laughter from Davey. “If you’re going to be this chipper, I can always drive us the rest of the way.”

Adam sat straight up at his, giving his friend a bemused look. “And end up wrapped around a telephone pole, I think I’ll pass.” Davey threw an affronted look in Adam’s direction which quickly melted into a fit of laughter. 

The laughter faded as Janice returned, setting down two mugs of coffee before them. “Anything to eat?” 

Davey shook his head, placing the menu back onto the table. Adam offered the waitress a warm smile before asking for an order of toast. Bemused, she nodded and made her way back towards the kitchen. 

Adam brought the steaming mug to his lips, taking a small, wary sip. If there was one thing he was finicky about, it had to be his coffee. It wasn’t the worst cup he’d ever had, but it was certainly far from the best. He took another, longer sip before placing the mug down onto the tabletop. Caffeine was caffeine after all, and he certainly needed it.

Davey found himself studying the man sitting before him. He’d known Adam for years but sometimes he felt like he didn’t really know him at all. He was an interesting mix of open honesty and quiet mystery. It drove Davey mad sometimes, trying to understand what made Adam tick. He knew it shouldn’t, but Davey was never the sort of person to leave well enough alone. 

And he never could seem to leave the enigma that was Adam alone, lord knows he had tried. Especially when he’d found himself thinking of Adam in a ‘more than friends’ sort of way. Or well, more truthfully, when he stopped ignoring the part of himself that had seemingly always seen Adam in that light. 

But he’d never brought it up with him, not even in a joking manner. It wasn’t that he feared Adam would think less of him; Adam was one of the least judgmental people Davey had ever met. When Davey had started seeing men in addition to the women he’d been dating, Adam hadn’t so much as blinked an eye. He simply hadn’t wanted to put any undue pressure on his friend. 

“You look a bit lost there, space cadet,” Adam mused, taking in the far off expression on Davey’s face. The words snapped Davey out of his quiet musing and he grabbed the mug before him, taking a large gulp to cover his embarrassment. The burning liquid scalded his tongue and he nearly dropped the mug back onto the table. “You alright?”

“Sorry, just tired.” 

Adam raised an eyebrow, “Says the man who’s been sleeping for the last five hours.”

“Someone’s bitter.” Davey shot back, sticking out his tongue. It was a childish gesture but he honestly didn’t care. Adam merely rolled his eyes at the comment.

Janice appeared once more, placing Adam’s toast before him with a few packets of butter. Adam smiled and thanked her before turning his attention to the plate before him and digging in. He was surprised by how hungry he was and how good the toast tasted. God, when was the last time he’d eaten something?

“You are aware that the food’s not going anywhere, right? You can come up for air.”

Adam shot Davey a look before mumbling an incomprehensible “fuck you” and continuing with his meal. 

“Just saying.” The two sat in silence as Adam finished the toast and drained the last bit of his coffee, raising his head to look for Janice for another cup. 

She returned shortly thereafter, brandishing a steaming pot of coffee. She quietly refilled Adam’s mug, before turning to Davey to see if he’d changed his mind on getting something to eat. Again, Davey declined and nodding Janice left the two men sitting in relative silence. “Thanks again, for the ride I mean,” Davey began, after several more moments of silence had passed. 

Adam nodded, putting his mug back down on the table. “No problem. It is nice having someone along for the ride, even if he’s been asleep for more than half the trip so far.” Davey rolled his eyes. “I’m surprised you didn’t have another way home lined up already.”

Davey shrugged, “We haven’t had a lot of time to talk or really get together lately and when you mentioned you were driving home; which is insane by the way, I figured it’d be the perfect time. Besides, I’d feel terrible if you ran off the road because you didn’t have anyone pestering you awake—”

“And a bang up job you’re doing at that,” Adam shot him a playful glare.

“Shut it, Carson,” Davey started with a smirk, “As I was saying, I figured it was the least I could do, keeping you awake with my charming personality and stimulating conversational skills…”

Adam snorted. “How you get dates with that inflated ego, I’ll never know.”

“I’m irresistible.”

“You’re something alright.” Adam chuckled and picked his mug up from the table, taking a long sip. 

“Now if only that would attract the right kind of person, then I’d be all set.” Davey smiled lightly, picking up his mug and taking another tentative sip. Mercifully, it had cooled considerably. One scalding was more than enough for one day. “So, we survived finals week. One more semester and we’re free.”

“So we have,” Adam sighed, “fucking weird if you asked me. We’re practically adults; real, actual, fucking adults.”

Davey laughed out loud at this, “It’s crazy.”

“You’re telling me.” Adam took another draw from his mug, “I’m just happy I made it through the semester in one piece.”

“Me too, I was scared you’d crack long before this. Me, on the other hand, I knew I’d be fine. I mean, look at me. How could I not be?”

“King of Modesty, you are.” 

“Damn straight.” Davey stretched his arms over his head, yawning. “You feeling any more awake?”

Adam nodded, draining his second mug, “One or two more cups and I should be fine.”

Davey raised an eyebrow, “Should be? You better be, Carson. I refuse to be road kill, not this close to Christmas.”

“Ha fucking ha,” Adam grumbled good-naturedly, waving Janice over for another mug. The two fell into a comfortable silence as Adam finished his third cup and started in on the fourth. Davey found himself drumming his fingers against the table top to the beat of the latest song playing from the jukebox.

“Dave,” Adam started, tentatively.

“Hmm?” 

“What did you mean?”

Davey shot Adam a puzzled look, “About what?”

Adam took another sip of coffee then cleared this throat before speaking once more, “That you can’t seem to attract the right kind of person.”

“Oh, that.” 

“What did you mean?” Adam began again, leaning against the table. “Cause from what I’ve seen, you’re not doing too poorly in that department.”

Davey took a deep breath, taking sip of his now stone cold coffee, “Quantity doesn’t exactly add up to quality.” 

“I’ll give you that.” Adam looked contemplative for a moment before continuing, “But you’ve seemed happy enough.” 

Davey shrugged, “Happy enough isn’t enough for me.”

“What would be enough?” 

“Finding a connection with someone that’s more than just physical,” He started, “Physical is great, don’t get me wrong. Physical is important. But there are times it’s just not enough.”

Adam nodded, his eyes falling to the table in front of him “You want to feel like you truly know this person and they know you.”

“Exactly,” Davey agreed, “And that there is the rub.”

“But it’s not impossible, Dave. It just hasn’t happened yet,” Adam started, “That doesn’t mean it won’t.”

“I know that. It just makes everything more complicated. Especially when you’re going into each relationship comparing that person to a person they will never be,” The words rushed out without conscious thought. Davey paused, his eyes widening as his words began to sink in. Dear God, why didn’t he just ask Adam to run away with him while he was at it? That would go over just swimmingly. 

It was Adam’s turn to appear puzzled, “Dave, what do you mean?”

Davey took a deep breath and found himself studying his hands for several moments. “That I am setting my standards a hell of a lot higher than I should be.” He forced a light laugh, trying to force himself to relax. He was being ridiculous. “Which is exactly what people my age should be doing, right?” 

“You’ve always had high standards, man,” Adam agreed, “But that doesn’t mean that it’s a bad thing.” Davey nodded silently. “Besides, you’ve got more than enough time to find someone who will meet those ridiculous standards of yours.”

Davey nodded again, “It’s an awful tall list, though.” He allowed himself to look Adam in the eyes, “Besides, if that doesn’t work I can always try my charms on you.” 

“And what makes you think I’d fall for your charms?” Adam asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“Because I know ways to make you scream yourself hoarse.” He winked at Adam, half elated at the idea of opening flirting and half terrified that he was pushing too far. 

Adam paused for a moment, playing idly with the handle of his coffee mug before returning his gaze toward Davey. “You seem very sure of yourself.”

“I’ve gotten some pretty rave reviews, so I think the confidence is justified. And I’m always willing to offer a test drive.” He waggled his eyebrows at Adam, smirking.

This pulled a loud, full laugh from his friend, “I’ll keep that in mind, Dave.”

“That’s all I ask.” 

Janice came around once more, offering both men more coffee, which they declined, and placing the check face down onto the table top, letting them know they could head to the counter whenever they were ready to pay. “We should probably hit the road soon.”

“Probably,” Davey echoed, “How long of a drive do we have left?”

Adam paused, thinking for a moment before sighing and stating, “At least another four or five hours and that’s if traffic cooperates.”

Davey groaned, “Goody.”

“Don’t even start; you’ll probably be asleep for most of it anyway.” Adam pushed himself up from the booth, grabbing the check from the table. 

Davey followed suit. “That’s because someone won’t let me drive.”

Adam chuckled, “Because that someone would actually like to make it home in one piece. Now shut it.”

Sticking out his tongue once more, Davey grabbed the check from out of Adam’s hand and headed to the counter. “Since you won’t let me drive, I can at least buy you food.” He handed the bill and his card to Janice. Looking over his shoulder at Adam, he added, “You might be the cheapest date I’ve had yet, Carson.”

With the bill paid, both men headed back out towards the car. As he unlocked the doors, Adam turned to face Davey, “I may be cheap, Marchand, but I’m far from easy.”

Davey choked out a laugh before climbing into the car. “That just means I’ll have to work harder. And I’ve got five hours to break you down, Carson. By the time we make it home, you’ll be putty in my hands.” 

Adam laughed, “Such confidence.”

Davey shrugged, “My mother always said you needed to believe in yourself. Though I doubt this is what she had in mind.”

“No,” Adam agreed, pulling the car back out onto the highway “Probably not.” 

“Definitely not,” Davey added, laughing. “Well, Mr. Carson, what does a boy have to do to get into those pants of yours?” He turned in his seat to face Adam, batting his eyelashes for effect.

“That’s for me to know and you to find out.” His face held the ghost of a smile. 

Davey choked out a laugh. “Well I better get started now, who knows how long this is going to take.”

Adam joined in laughing, “Take your best shot, Dave.”

“Oh I will, Carson. Believe me, I will.”


End file.
